rasz_pl wrote on Yesterday, 07:06:

Im sorry, I linked Ken Silverman's page expecting him hosting normal vidspeed, but its his own version normal one can be downloa […]
Show full quote

Im sorry, I linked Ken Silverman's page expecting him hosting normal vidspeed, but its his own version
normal one can be downloaded here https://thandor.net/downloadmanager/66 4.0
https://vetusware.com/download/VIDSPEED%203.0 3.0
no dos4gw needed. "vidspeed * L" command

Awesome that worked!

What is this telling me? (Apologies for n00b question)

It can do 32bit writes, and they are faster than 16bit writes. This is a 486, which means 'this must be vlb'

(It is possible for a 32bit write to be trapped as 2 16bit ones using a multiplexer, but this will be slower than the 16bit speed, since the multiplexer would not be juggling data on native width transfers. It's not only faster in 32bit mode, but quite a bit faster. This suggests VLB)

It says it can write at around 9kb/ms in 32bit mode. (Or ~9mb/sec)

The ISA ceiling is around 5mb/s, so again, 'this must be vlb'

Forget it !

I have a couple AST Bravo 486 computers.
I was able to upgrade the video ram but not the cache
No matter what cache chips I tried the bios could not recognize the new chips

Anyways, I have several 486 computers.
And I have run Benchmark test with 64kb of cache and 256kb of cache
You only gain about 3% in CPU performance so it’s NOT worth it.
Its better and less expensive to upgrade the CPU
Also 1mb of video ram is good enough for most dos games and apps.

Its a shame these AST Bravo computers are so difficult to upgrade
Because they have some nice case designs.

Also the 2x Sony CDROM drives go bad with leaking capacitors.
That will need to be replaced too.

My first multimedia pc was an
AST Advantage Adventure 466d

Stock all in one with 14” svga
Cyrix dx2-66
8mb ram
Cache
4x cd
540mb quantum fireball
Vibra 16
14.4 fax modem
Integrated stereo speakers
Bought October 1995 but still had Windows 3.11 / Dos 6.22 no upgrade option.

Good deal at $995, sadly the brother hl665 laser was just as expensive and a POS

Eventually upgraded it to a 5x86-133, got a parallel port scanner and used the fax modem constantly due to stupid .gov and vendor requirements

Loved the setup but good lord was it not reliable

Was always corrupting the hd having to use the recovery disk

wierd_w wrote on Yesterday, 15:07:

It can do 32bit writes, and they are faster than 16bit writes. This is a 486, which means 'this must be vlb' […]
Show full quote

It can do 32bit writes, and they are faster than 16bit writes. This is a 486, which means 'this must be vlb'

(It is possible for a 32bit write to be trapped as 2 16bit ones using a multiplexer, but this will be slower than the 16bit speed, since the multiplexer would not be juggling data on native width transfers. It's not only faster in 32bit mode, but quite a bit faster. This suggests VLB)

It says it can write at around 9kb/ms in 32bit mode. (Or ~9mb/sec)

The ISA ceiling is around 5mb/s, so again, 'this must be vlb'

Awesome! I'll take VLB performance over ISA any day.

Intel486dx33 wrote on Yesterday, 15:26:

Forget it ! […]
Show full quote

Forget it !

I have a couple AST Bravo 486 computers.
I was able to upgrade the video ram but not the cache
No matter what cache chips I tried the bios could not recognize the new chips

Anyways, I have several 486 computers.
And I have run Benchmark test with 64kb of cache and 256kb of cache
You only gain about 3% in CPU performance so it’s NOT worth it.
Its better and less expensive to upgrade the CPU
Also 1mb of video ram is good enough for most dos games and apps.

Its a shame these AST Bravo computers are so difficult to upgrade
Because they have some nice case designs.

Also the 2x Sony CDROM drives go bad with leaking capacitors.
That will need to be replaced too.

Interesting...I already picked up some chips to try out, including a CPU upgrade, so I'll report back what works and what doesn't. The DX 50MHz vs. DX2 66MHz comparative article posted earlier suggest performance differences can be substantial with cache, but I suppose that very much depends on that cache actually being recognized, doesn't it? We'll see...

Also, yep, the Sony drive was DOA, and it's replacement is "in the post" as they say. Didn't want to futz with their proprietary IDE standard, so I grabbed an AWE32 to run the drive until I can get my hands on an Ensoniq Soundscape (or S2000) with a real IDE controller.

rmay635703 wrote on Yesterday, 17:46:

My first multimedia pc was an AST Advantage Adventure 466d […]
Show full quote

My first multimedia pc was an
AST Advantage Adventure 466d

Stock all in one with 14” svga
Cyrix dx2-66
8mb ram
Cache
4x cd
540mb quantum fireball
Vibra 16
14.4 fax modem
Integrated stereo speakers
Bought October 1995 but still had Windows 3.11 / Dos 6.22 no upgrade option.

Good deal at $995, sadly the brother hl665 laser was just as expensive and a POS

Eventually upgraded it to a 5x86-133, got a parallel port scanner and used the fax modem constantly due to stupid .gov and vendor requirements

Loved the setup but good lord was it not reliable

Was always corrupting the hd having to use the recovery disk

All in One boxes have a come a long way, and I am 0.0% surprised your mid-90s AST had reliability issues. Kinda makes sense given ventilation approaches were pretty poor back then, and CRTs kick out so much heat and EMF. Brother laser got better in my experience, too, but ymmv.

This one's a pretty nice mini-tower that supposedly was never used (was shipped to me in its original box inside another box). The case had some scuffs on it, but I think someone attempted to open it up at some point as the rear screws were not in the right places anymore (PSU screws in chassis and vice versa despite not fitting and sticking out).

Interior is IMMACULATE, brand new, nary a spec of dust. Can't say whether the added 16MB stick (stock is 2x 4MB) was done back in the OG day or more recently, but the SIMM wasn't fully clipped in, and the side shroud was also not re-installed properly. Haven't noticed any issues running, and the original hard drive did boot as if it was out of the box for the first time (runs a Guru software routine to check the config for changes). The 325MB HD was making some really unsettling clicks every 30 seconds or so, so I dumped it to a CF and am running that way now and forever.

The plot thickens...found a WININST0.400 directory on the drive where someone had tried to install Win98 at some point. On a 50MHz 486? Bravery and silliness are a matter of perspective, I guess.

New theory is this box sat untouched for years before someone wanted to make use of it and added the 16MB stick but still failed as the CPU requirement is 66MHz...or the poorly seated SIMM wasn't recognized. Either way, they gave up.

Or it immediately crashed if the simm is EDO 😀
So the MACH32 is VLB, nice.
You can just switch FSB to 66MHz with current CPU, will run just fine as long as its not the CPU from first 1992 batches.

EDO can be converted to FP mode by grounding a pin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk8uEFpYbBw&t=2s

Here is my post on my AST Bravo and what I had to repair.
This proprietary motherboard and bios makes it difficult to upgrade.

Link
AST Bravo LC2 4/33s (486) Multimedia computer ( 1993 )

1993 was when computer companies started putting CDROM drives and sound cards in
Computers and calling them “Multimedia”.
But
I think the 2x CDROM drive was too Slow and would Seek a lot
Also 8mb of RAM is better than 4mb of RAM
It Makes a Big difference.

When repairing these old computers I would replace the CDROM drive
With a 4x or higher.
And use at least 8mb of RAM
16mb is Best
32mb will only see improvements in Windows 3x or Win95
Win95 was designed to support the 486dx-33
Because so many computers used this minimum Multimedia configuration
Back when Win95 was released.
486dx-66 or higher is best for game play.

I also used an AST AdvantEdge 486 back in the days of yore. I do not remember the subtype, but it had cirrus logic integrated video and a 3 slot (i think?) ISA riser design.

Had 4mb RAM, an atapi cdrom (on the aztech soundcard), and came with win3.11 and a customized graphics shell.

I have powerfully strong (negative) memories of abusing the hell out of the FusionPC emulator demo so I could run a very cutdown instance of macos 7, just so I could use claris works like my teachers demanded all papers in digital form be in. (Yes, on mac formatted diskettes). FusionPC runs on DOS, and a 486 is the bare minimum it can run on.

It was very painful.

I remember putting 16mb of ram in, and struggling to get win95A installed on it.

A few years later, I had a summer job, and switched it out for a pentium class machine I cobbled together on a shoestring budget.

But I still remember that 486.

My AST 486 computers had Proprietary Sony 2x CDROM drives
And Media Vision 16 Pro Spectrum sound cards.
From the factory.

rasz_pl wrote on Today, 01:36:

Or it immediately crashed if the simm is EDO 😀
So the MACH32 is VLB, nice.
You can just switch FSB to 66MHz with current CPU, will run just fine as long as its not the CPU from first 1992 batches.

Ha! I think I was mistaken about the 16MB stick being EDO, probably just a silly assumption on my part. The box has been running with that (now properly seated) module with the other two 4MB sticks just fine, though I admittedly haven't pushed it much. I notice it is pretty slow starting, navigating, and even exiting Windows 3.1. Not that I'm very motivated toward that "OS" (didn't even like it much in its day), but I don't recall the 486 DX33 AST I was running back then struggling as much, and it definitely had only 4MB of RAM.

Hadn't thought to try overclocking, but I think I will at least drop in the DX2 66 I pulled from the Compaq at some point, even if only to experience the ultimate in incremental improvement. 😆

myne wrote on Today, 02:03:

EDO can be converted to FP mode by grounding a pin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk8uEFpYbBw&t=2s

Dang, pretty quick mod, all things considered.

Intel486dx33 wrote on Today, 17:18:

Here is my post on my AST Bravo and what I had to repair. This proprietary motherboard and bios makes it difficult to upgrade. […]
Show full quote

Here is my post on my AST Bravo and what I had to repair.
This proprietary motherboard and bios makes it difficult to upgrade.

Link
AST Bravo LC2 4/33s (486) Multimedia computer ( 1993 )

1993 was when computer companies started putting CDROM drives and sound cards in
Computers and calling them “Multimedia”.
But
I think the 2x CDROM drive was too Slow and would Seek a lot
Also 8mb of RAM is better than 4mb of RAM
It Makes a Big difference.

When repairing these old computers I would replace the CDROM drive
With a 4x or higher.
And use at least 8mb of RAM
16mb is Best
32mb will only see improvements in Windows 3x or Win95
Win95 was designed to support the 486dx-33
Because so many computers used this minimum Multimedia configuration
Back when Win95 was released.
486dx-66 or higher is best for game play.

Great thread you linked! I always liked AST's aesthetic and have come to appreciate that early 90s approach to peripheral inclusion and exclusion on motherboards. Having the basic input/output needs covered while leaving room for choosing other hardware that was more needs driven in those days (sound, networking, etc.) makes the retro building a little more fun.